Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban

Contrary to the current claim by the Mormon Church, there is documented evidence that Joseph Smith was, indeed, behind the LDS anti-Black priesthood ban.

(see the LDS Church's typical sophistry at work in response to its history of blatant racism here: "Mormon Church Traces Black Priesthood Ban to Brigham Young: Black LDS Praise the Move; Historian Calls It Another Step in the 'Maturation' of the Utah-based Faith," by Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Salt Lake Tribune," 9 December 2013, at: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57241071-78/church-lds-says-mormon.htm...)

Significantly, that evidence comes from none other than a letter from the LDS First Presidency itself, dated 15 December 1969, excerpted below:

"In view of confusion that has arisen, it was decided at a meeting of the
First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve to restate the position
of the Church with regard to the Negro both in society and in the
Church.

"A word of explanation concerning the position of the Church.

"From the beginning of this dispensation, Joseph Smith and all succeeding presidents of the Church have taught that Negroes, while spirit children of a common Father, and the progeny of our earthly parents Adam and Eve, were not yet to receive the priesthood, for reasons which we believe are known to God, but which He has not made fully known to man.

"Our living prophet, President David O. McKay, has said, 'The seeming discrimination by the Church toward the Negro is not something which originated with man; but goes back into the beginning withGod. . . . 'Revelation assures us that this plan antedates man's mortal existence, extending back to man's pre-existent state.' President McKayhas also said, 'Sometime in God's eternal plan, the Negro will be given the right to hold the priesthood.'

Lori C
OMG, with they really have now invalidated years of so called "revelation"
...and doctrine in one wee "essay" in 2013.

Incredible. The church has indeed begun to fall...literally...in my lifetime.

Thanks Steve.

presleynfactsrock
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
I definitely think Tommy needs more Pepsi, and he needs to share some with his cult friends. They are running out of steam.

forbiddencokedrinker
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
My understanding, though I could be wrong, was that in the early days of the church, on a very few rare occasions, some blacks had been converted into the church, and possibly given the priesthood. According to Mormon apologist, this caused a crap storm among the Missourians, though personally I think the real culprit were members of the church. Given the nature of the church, half of it being located in Ohio, and the other in Missouri, I have a feeling that when the Ohio church, including Joseph Smith, learned about the baptisms, that Smith "received a revelation" to stop them. That's just a hypothesis though.

Bamboozled
Doesn't matter
For the vast majority of TBM's this is a non issue. The church has assured them all that it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. They had won the victory over themselves. They loved Big Brother.

Makurosu
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
Then there's the First Presidency statement from 1949 (on the same page) that says: "It is not a matter of the declaration of a policy but of direct commandment from the Lord, on which is founded the doctrine of the Church from the days of its organization" Yet, their new statement calls the priesthood ban a "policy" half a dozen times. Dark skin absolutely was a curse in Mormon doctrine and still is in the Book of Mormon and the Book of Abraham, despite this new denial. It's been awhile since I've read such bald-faced lies even from the Mormons. It's just unbelievable that they think people aren't going to remember their previous statements -- especially when we were raised with them.

elciz
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
Very good work. Good quote/letter. It is dishonest to say it was 19th century racism, obviously. It was church doctrine that was supported from the top for many decades, over a hundred and 40 years or so. Reiterated many times. Expounded on many times.

But, alas, "we have always been at war with East Asia!"...

guynoirprivateeye
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
and some people believe that TSCC is Honest, Transparent...
cynthus
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
Did he just say "God is racist?" Dang-- Plus why is the "mark of Cain" the color of skin? I was confused when I was a TBM why the mark would be skin-- it seems an ugly connection to Eugenics.

steve benson
Truth has always been a non-issue for them.

pathfinder
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
What was the mark that God put on Cain (Genesis 4:15)?
The nature of the mark on Cain has been the subject of much debate and speculation. The Hebrew word translated "mark" is 'owth and refers to a “mark, sign, or token.” Elsewhere in the Hebrew Scriptures, 'owth is used 79 times and is most frequently translated as "sign." So, the Hebrew word does not identify the exact nature of the mark God put on Cain. Whatever it was, it was a sign/indicator that Cain was not to be killed. Some propose that the mark was a scar, or some kind of tattoo. Whatever the case, the precise nature of the mark is not the focus of the passage. The focus is that God would not allow people to exact vengeance against Cain. Whatever the mark on Cain was, it served this purpose.

In the past, many believed the mark on Cain to be dark skin—that God changed the color of Cain's skin to black in order to identify him. Since Cain also received a curse, the belief that the mark was black skin caused many to believe that people of dark skin were cursed. Many used the “mark of Cain” teaching as a justification for the African slave trade and discrimination against people with black/dark skin. This interpretation of the mark of Cain is completely unbiblical. Nowhere in the Hebrew Scriptures is 'owth used to refer to skin color. The curse on Cain in Genesis chapter 4 was on Cain himself. Nothing is said of Cain's curse being passed on to his descendants. There is absolutely no biblical basis to claim that Cain's descendants had dark skin. Further, unless one of Noah's sons' wives was a descendant of Cain (possible but unlikely), Cain's line was terminated by the Flood.

What was the mark that God put on Cain? The Bible does not say. The meaning of the mark, that Cain was not to be killed, was more important than the nature of the mark itself. Whatever the mark was, it had no connection to skin color or a generational curse on the descendants of Cain. To use the mark on Cain as an excuse for racism or discrimination is absolutely unbiblical.

Recommended Resources: Bible Answers for Almost All Your Questions by Elmer Towns and Logos Bible Software.

qualms
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
I don't claim to know the source, but didn't Joseph Smith ordain a few african americans? Then Brigham Young stopped the practice? Wikipedia...
Stray Mutt
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
Confusion had arisen and a meeting was called. That has seldom solved any problem in the church, even when you first have a meeting to plan having a meeting. And open & close each meeting with prayer.

Besides, no confusion should ever exist anyway, because the church is a well oiled machine run by Jesus himself.

nickname
Re: Evidence from the Top: Joseph Smith Was Behind the LDS Priesthood Ban
Probably the most compelling evidence I've seen is a quote from the VERY top, Morg President Joseph Fielding Smith: